The Edmonton Oilers were teetering on their heels. The Dallas Stars’ push felt relentless.
The crowd inside a raucous American Airlines Center could sense their team was on the cusp of climbing out of a deep hole.
Like he has so many times, Connor McDavid stepped up in a big moment Thursday — and pushed his group to another Stanley Cup final.
Edmonton’s superstar captain took advantage of a fortunate bounce before moving in alone and dekeing Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith to the ice on an electric forehand move with Dallas centre Roope Hintz all over him for a 4-2 lead.
“My hockey brain goes to, ‘That’s probably one of the nicest goals I’ve seen him score,”‘ said Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl, who has grown up in the NHL alongside McDavid. “Just the whole situation, how it played out, who he had coming up behind him. That’s a big-time play. There’s only one player in the world that can do that in that moment.
“We’re very fortunate to have him on our side.”
McDavid’s goal with 5:32 left in the middle period killed the home side’s momentum in what would wind up being a 6-3 final to clinch the Oilers’ second consecutive Western Conference crown and set up a rematch with the Florida Panthers in the title series.
“Incredible,” said Edmonton defenceman Darnell Nurse, whose team built an early 3-0 advantage before Dallas eventually cut its deficit to one. “The big moments, he always steps up and makes such a difference for our team. We’re so fortunate to have him. That was a goal and an example of a big player making a big play in a big moment.”
“He’s not missing that,” Stars head coach Pete DeBoer lamented. “It’s game over.”
McDavid, who grabbed hold of the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl after not touching the trophy last year when the Oilers also beat the Stars to claim the West, added an assist to become the second-fastest player in league history to reach 100 in the post-season behind only Wayne Gretzky.
The 28-year-old also joined The Great One as the second player to register at least three separate playoffs with 20 assists.
All the talk, however, was about the goal.
“That’s a Connor McDavid kind of play,” said veteran winger Corey Perry, who will play in his sixth final. “That’s just the player he is.”
McDavid and his Oilers were left heartbroken last June after coming back from a 3-0 deficit in the final against…
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